September 19, 2005
I agree with the petition in the referenced note and I think this action needs to be taken to better regulate to protect investors in both Pink Sheets and OTCBB. I have owned and still own stocks in both OTC markets that have been a victim of "NAKED SHORT SELLING" so please help the investors by regulating these two markets in the same fashion as the other bigger markets like NASDAQ. Thank You.
Sincerely,
Louis Gomes
OTC Market Investor
------------------ Referenced Note
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Dear OTC Investor:
I am writing to alert you of a very important rule change that is needed to improve the OTC marketplace. I need your help to make regulators turn on the lights and protect investors from the menace of hidden short selling in the OTC market.
I think you'll agree that this issue deserves the small amount of your time it will take for you to tell the SEC what you think about this issue.
As Chairman & CEO of the Pink Sheets, I know perhaps better than anyone the importance of improving the Pink Sheets and OTCBB trading. And I know the devastating impact that small companies face when their market is tarnished by the threat of manipulation.
There is a crisis facing the OTC market today in the lack of short sale position reporting and disclosure for OTC issues. This lack of transparency regarding short selling in the OTC market allows fraudulent acts to go undiscovered and manipulative short sellers to hide.
I believe regulators should fix the problem. Small issuers traded on the Pink Sheets and the OTCBB deserve the same transparency and regulatory oversight of short selling as those listed on Exchanges or NASDAQ.
Therefore, Pink Sheets has petitioned the SEC to cause the amendment of NASD Rule 3360 and require NASD broker dealers to maintain a record of total "short" positions in all customer and proprietary firm accounts in all publicly traded equity securities as well as report this information to the NASD for public dissemination of the short positions by security. The SEC's action is urgently needed to prevent fraudulent acts, expose market manipulation, promote fair principles of trade and protect investors.